Record-breaking heatwave sweeps Southwest US with temperatures soaring past 110 degrees

Las Vegas and Albuquerque had very hot weather, breaking records. The heat wave in the Southwest U.S. is ending soon. The National Weather Service says it will be a bit cooler this weekend, but it will get hot again next week. The weather in Phoenix will have more clouds and be slightly cooler next week. Las Vegas will be 5 to 8 degrees cooler by Sunday. The high temperatures were unusual for this time of year. Las Vegas reached 111 F (43.8 C) on Thursday, tying the earliest record of reaching at least 110 F (43.3 C). Albuquerque tied its record of 100 F (37.7 C). Phoenix hit 113 F (45 C) on Friday, just below the daily record. Death Valley National Park reached 118 F (47.7 C) on Friday, below the daily record of 123 F (50 C). The heatwave affected many areas, with people experiencing heat exhaustion. In Phoenix, 11 people fell ill at a rally. Las Vegas had 12 calls for heat exposure, with nine patients needing hospital treatment. The heatwave came earlier than usual, even in cooler areas like Reno. The heatwave led to proposals and challenges. In Phoenix, a man proposed to his girlfriend on a trail despite the extreme heat. People had to be well-prepared with water due to the hotter-than-usual weather. The heatwave is a reminder of the impact of climate change on rising temperatures.